Imagine the very thing you live to create being the thing that one day would lead to your death?

And a death with a violent end, via an unknown to you gunmen; aggrieved at your creative interpretation of ‘their’ religion…

Events of this week have led me to ponder more than usual what is it that drives some to create with the pen, the brush…

Some with the gun?

I’m under no illusion that the events in France are created acts… acts stemming from thinking overtime that leads to actions, and in this case more thinking, planning and putting into action. Actions that within the minds of the, now, killers were ‘justifiable’.

So what am I thinking about… where we create ‘others‘ as different than us.

Where we draw conclusions about how ‘we‘ (which is really an ‘I think’ hidden in the group think, in disguise) think/be/do better, differently opposed to what ‘they‘ think/be/do less than…(here its either a ‘you’ in disguise or the nebulous ‘they’ – a generalised and separated ‘other‘).

So how is this creative? Our creative thinking leads us to picture the world, hang a frame on what we see.

This in turn creates actions, drawing to conclusions, inventing scenarios, living out dramas where we are the author of our own plays, mini series… and eventually full blown wars.

What also comes to mind is how a piece created for a daily paper; a cartoon drawn to highlight a joke about another’s religion can seem so far away from those who believe. Especially if its not what I choose to believe…

“The freedom to criticize ideas…” Rowan Atkinson

It strikes me in the supposed PC world we live in, or at least we ‘think’ we do we are both striving for and missing the mark…

Yet we are free to believe, creatively think, speak and act …

Freedom of speech is a human right worth dying for… then when some of ‘us’ act in ways outside of what ‘we‘ deem appropriate (I’m in no way condoning murder and terrorism in any form) we are up in arms.

And this is the dichotomy, the mystery, the gifts of Life I continue to ponder on, seek the truths within and to create from that space…

Lyrics to Proper Propaganda – Dilated Peoples

With press passes, we bring it to you as it happens
The streets love my crew for music and rappin’
Street commander slash beat expander
Here to fight the slander with the proper propaganda
What’s happenin’? You got a question then ask it
The news is just a TV show, get past it
And this, from a quiet wartime journalist
Headlines, wake up, refuse and resist
Like this, like this, like thi-thi-this, y’all

We kick finance, action and scores of sports
Politics, new fashion and war reports
Entertainment, when we come to perform, watch
And the illest weatherman in the biz, I’m storm watch
Triclops Media, record, tape and TV
Net radio, CD or DVD, iriscience
Write rhymes on paper time
This is why Baboo is scratching and keeping time

I make the people listen boogy down and move
I make the people listen boogy down and move, yeah
I make the people listen boogy down and move

Glory, the pen is mighter than the sword
‘Cause the pen gives the word sending swords to war
They twisted it when they quoted Mao Tse-tung
They said political power comes from the barrel of a gun
The officer meets his fate, by .44, .38
It was a dirty deed but that don’t mean a dirty case
Witnesses against the state are shushed
Facts overlooked so the judge can throw the book
Perhaps for politicians with something to prove
In the city where they blew the roof off and move

Yo, questions when answered leads to more questions
Why’d it take months to remember a confession?
The principles are the same even without the name
But I still say, “M U M I A”
I have to fight, it could easily be me
But just being the thinker than speakin’ it freely
Although I use my brain before using a fist
Don’t push it, wake up, refuse and resist

Well it’s a good question and not one that can be ironed out over a cuppa…

I understand how overwhelming it can be to look at making your business and your life more ‘green’ and/or sustainable – this has been a passion of mine ever since primary school and a workshop we took part in on packaging – see the slide with the After Eights boxes…

Open To Create… is my day to day expression in the world of being part of co-creating an inheritable world for many future generations of all species on this planet.

This is the very best of being able to create the work I love and share what gets me super excited in Life… with community members from East London and beyond…

Creative Thinking is a course I’ve written to encourage you re-discover the senses of touching, feeling, hearing, tasting and seeing your world in new and exciting ways.

How cool to be able to cook up over 10 hours worth of playful games, exercises and assignments for those of you curious about re-finding that inner creative child who used to be able to play so freely and without boundaries.

As we ‘grow’ up we sometimes forget to release our inner joy at the everyday.

And to face into what can sometimes seem like insurmountable problems with the joy de vivre of the wide eyed, stars in their hands innocent…

Care to take yourself on a journey of re-discovery, playful exploration and lighthearted thinking about the deeper questions we have in Life?

Creative Thinking 5 week course (C2404)

Starts: 24th April each Thursday for 5 weeksWhat’s in it for you? Tap into your inner creativity and help yourself to come up with new insights and solutions.

Where: Idea Store Chrisp StreetTimes: 6.30pmEnds: 9pm

Open To Create… has written a creative thinking course especially for
Idea Store Learning programme to help you get creatively inspired to problem solve in new, fun,
creative ways and to boost your confidence to move forward this Spring 2014

By booking your place on this course you will;
• Expand understanding of creative thinking
• Apply creative thinking tools to create new ways to move forward with a challenge/ Problem or setting into motion your new idea
• Show greater willingness to risk and ability to trust – notable shift from beginning of the course

The course aim is to open up the power of creative thinking and making to as many people as possible. Thanks to the partnership between Open To Create… and Idea Store Learning these
sessions are being offered at £34 / £22 concessions.

Class size is approximately 14 people.

To secure your place in the workshop you need to book in advance

Call 020 7364 5665 between 10am – 4pm with the course details (C2404)
and your credit or debit card ready to pay for the course.

OR

Pop into any of the Idea Stores or Learning Centre across Tower Hamlets,
London and pay with cash, cheque or debit/credit card.

If you want to find out more please feel free to call me at
Open to Create… HQ